Was it Really ‘Scarring’?

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Eliana N.

 What is trauma? The American Psychological Association defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event”. Having a traumatic situation happen like a car accident, being through a natural disaster, or any forms of abuse could lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as “a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a scary event”. One of the most common misconceptions is that only people who have been in the military experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but that is not true. People who go through things that are severely dangerous, make them feel unsafe, or make them horrified can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can last from just a couple of months to a few years. It depends on the impact the experience had on the person. People who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may have triggers which bring them back to the traumatic event in the form of nightmares, unwanted memories, thoughts, or flashbacks. To them, the flashbacks feel very real, almost like they’re reliving the moment their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stems from. Other than having nightmares and other flashbacks, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may cause irritability, suicidal thoughts, severe anxiety, loneliness, or loss of pleasure in activities. 

So, next time you think something was “scarring”, ask yourself, if it really was. Will it leave you with flashbacks, severe anxiety, or depression? If not, then it’s not really scarring, and you don’t have trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

**It’s very important that if you’re struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder you need to find help, whether it’s from friends, family, or someone else you’re able to trust. Even if it doesn’t seem like it at times, there’s always someone there for you. It can be hard to get past a very scarring experience alone, but always know that there are people around you who care about you, and want you to get better.